Greenville, MS—Kenneth Johnson pled guilty Monday afternoon in Washington County Circuit Court to two indictments charging Business Burglary, District Attorney W. Dewayne Richardson announced today.
With both indictments pending on the Court’s docket and one scheduled for trial Monday, Johnson instead pled guilty before Circuit Judge Margaret Carey-McCray. Johnson’s cases stemmed from two indictments handed down by the April 2018 and July 2018 Washington County Grand Juries.
On the mornings of June 1, 2017 and June 2, 2017, officers of the Greenville Police Department were dispatched to the Alexander Street Rick’s Express across the street from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in response to a Business Burglary. On both occasions, employees of the business advised officers that they had arrived to work to find the store in disarray and after viewing the video surveillance, they learned that they had been burglarized. Detectives arrived on scene to initiate an investigation. Greenville Police Officers were quickly able to identify the suspect observed on the store’s camera footage as Kenneth Johnson. The next day, he was taken into custody and confessed to his crimes.
Both cases were presented to the Washington County Grand Jury which returned two separate indictments charging Johnson with Business Burglary as a Habitual Offender in accordance with Section 99-19-83 of the Mississippi Code which mandates that he be sentenced to a term of Life without parole. Johnson had been previously convicted of multiple felony crimes including a prior Business Burglary and Armed Robbery.
The Office of the District Attorney reduced Johnson’s habitual status and allowed him to plead guilty to both indictments as a Habitual Offender under Section 99-19-8. Johnson was sentenced to the maximum term for the crimes charged. Upon the recommendation of the Assistant District Attorney, Johnson was sentenced to two concurrent terms of 7 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections as a Habitual Offender and ordered to undergo long-term alcohol and drug treatment.
The cases against Johnson were prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Kaylon A. McCou, who offered words of thanks for the work of the Officers and Investigators of the Greenville Police Department: “Our law enforcement officers work hard every day to ensure that Greenville is a safe place for people and businesses. Those who threaten that safety will be brought to justice. It is important that our citizens know that, and on their behalf, we are grateful for the work of the Greenville Police Department.”
Contact: W. Dewayne Richardson District Attorney, Fourth Circuit Court District | 662-378-2105